Staff Profiles

Dr Lisa Durrant

PhD, BSc (Hons) Radiotherapy & Oncology

Project Manager

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Dr Lisa Durrant is the Project manager of PIPOx (the Oxford Pressure Injury Project) ensuring the smooth running of pressure injury research projects from inception to completion. PIPOx is an international group embedded in the Oxford Institue of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research (OxINMAHR) with members from all three international pressure injury alliances. PIPOx's collaborative research between Oxford Brookes University, Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT, Oxford Health FT and primary care partners strives to improve patient safety, experience and health care delivery to patients both in hospital and the community.

I am interested in the experiences of patients with pressure injuries (pressure ulcers) in community dwelling adults, especially those living in their own homes without continuous nursing care. Pressure ulcers or bedsores are a major cause of preventable harm to patients, ranked as the highest burden with the NHS Safety Thermometer. Physically pressure injuries can cause pain, blood stream and bone infections and the need for long-term wound care or surgery. Socially and emotionally patients report a diminished quality of life and financial concerns due to long-term dependence and treatment.

Further information

Journal articles

Durrant, L, Taylor, J, Thompson, H, Usher, K, Jackson D., 'Health literacy in pressure injury: findings from a mixed methods study of community-based patients and carers'Nursing and Health Sciences 21 (1) (2018) pp.37-43ISSN: 1441-0745 Abstract This paper, drawn from a larger mixed methods case study, provides insights into the health literacy of community-based patients with pressure injuries, and their carers, and critically analyses the patient information resources available; crucial because health literacy is associated with patient care and outcomes for patients. Two data sets were used to better understand patient literacy in relation to pressure injury: (i) narratives from patients and carers; and, (ii) analysis of patient education resources. Narratives were subject to content analysis and patient education resources available to the patients were analysed drawing on the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook, the National Health Service Toolkit for Producing Patient Resources and compared to an internationally advocated pressure injury leaflet. Study findings indicated that despite leaflets broadly meeting required production and content guidelines, patients appeared to poorly engage with these materials and demonstrated limited health literacy in relation to pressure injury. Although improvements in leaflet production and readability may be advantageous, emphasis should remain on quality patient-healthcare professional relationships, to enable tailored patient education that can enhance awareness and engagement with treatment and prevention interventions. Website

Jackson D, Durrant L, Hutchinson M, Ballard CA, Neville S, Usher K, 'Living with multiple losses: insights from patients living with pressure injury'Collegian 25 (4) (2017) pp.409-414ISSN: 1322-7696 Abstract Background: Pressure injury is a common problem. Its prevention and treatment is predominantly
focussed on views, perceptions and knowledge of healthcare staff rather than on patient experience, particularly those patients living in their own homes.
Aim: This paper reports findings on patients experiences and perceptions of loss associated with PI. These findings are drawn from a larger study of pressure injury patients living and receiving care in the community.
Methods: Qualitative interviews with 12 participants with pressure injury and five carers. Data was
audio recorded and thematically analysed. The study is reported in accordance with the COREQ
guidelines.
Findings: Having a pressure injury negatively affected many aspects of life for our participants
resulting in multiple losses. These losses included loss of mobility and independence, privacy and
dignity, and social engagement and ability to engage in preferred activities.
Discussion: Although the effects of a pressure injury may be similar for many people, the most
important issues will differ from person-to-person thus treatment and prevention of pressure injury
requires a multidisciplinary team having a holistic care approach. Some patients’ pressure injury will never heal and it is increasingly important to involve the patient to find out what matters most to them and how their wound is impacting on them, to jointly develop a holistic, person-centred plan.
Conclusion: Policy and practice should recognise and reflect that patients living with a pressure
injury at home have different challenges and needs to those in acute or long term care. Pragmatic
solutions in the delivery of pressure injury care are needed to compliment the drive to move
healthcare from the hospital-to-home.Website

Background: Pressure injuries or pressure ulcers are burdensome and costly. Prevalence data, surveys and systematic reviews demonstrate that pain associated with pressure injury is widespread, but voices of home-dwelling patients have remained largely unheard.

Design: Concurrent mixed methods case study of a UK community of approximately 50,000 adults.

Findings: Pain impacted adversely on activities of daily living, mobility and sleep. Participants described days that were clouded in pain; a pain they felt was poorly understood and often out of control. Thematic content analysis revealed two major themes; these are: Poorly controlled pain: ‘I just want the pain to go away’; and, Uncertainty for the future: ‘it almost seems insurmountable’.

Conclusion: Findings of our study support the need to develop an appropriate assessment tool for pressure injury patients in the community to enable health care professionals and patients to recognise and manage pressure injury related pain effectively.

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